A-level History₇₀₄₂

This option allows students to study in breadth issues of change, continuity, cause and consequence in this period through the following key questions:

• How far did the monarchy change?
• To what extent and why was power more widely shared during this period?
• Why and with what results were there disputes over religion?
• How effective was opposition?
• How important were ideas and ideology?
• How important was the role of key individuals and groups and how were they affected by developments?

Part one: absolutism challenged: Britain, 1603–1649

Monarchs and Parliaments, 1603–1629

• The Political Nation and the social basis of power: the importance of land ownership; rival forms of wealth including merchants
• James I: character and views on monarchy; court and favourites; Charles I: character and views on monarchy; court and favourites
• The financial weakness of the Crown and attempts to reform and strengthen royal finance
• Religion and religious divisions: challenges to the Church of England from Catholics and Puritans and the development of Arminianism
• Relations and disputes with parliaments: parliamentary privileges; finance; religion; foreign affairs
• The state of relations between Crown and Parliament by 1629 and the reaction of the Political Nation; the extent of breakdown between Crown and Parliament and the Political Nation

Revolution, 1629–1649

• Divisions over religion: Arminianism and Laudianism; Puritanism and the emergence of Millenarianism
• Political divisions: the Personal Rule and the extent of opposition to it in England, Scotland and Ireland; the Short and Long Parliaments and the leadership of Pym; divisions and the outbreak of Civil War
• The First and Second Civil Wars: England, Scotland, Ireland and the reasons for royalist defeat
• Social divisions: the emergence of political and religious radicalism in the 1640s; the Levellers and Millenarian groups
• Post-war divisions between Army and Parliament and the failure to secure a post-war settlement
• Regicide: the basis for regicide and the King’s response

Part two: Monarchy restored and restrained: Britain, 1649–1702 (A-level only)

From Republic to restored and limited monarchy, 1649–1678 (A-level only)

• The consolidation of the Republic: Scotland and Dunbar; campaigns in Ireland; Charles II and Worcester
• Political divisions and experiments: Republicanism and the Rump; Millenarianism and the Parliament of Saints
• Cromwell and his aims; the Protectorates; Major-Generals and the relations with the Political Nation
• Charles II and the nature of restored monarchy; rule through parliament and ministers; Clarendon; the Cabal and Danby
• The emergence of Court and Country ‘parties’: causes, significance and consequences
• Religious divisions and conflicts: the defeat of Millenarianism; the restoration of the Church of England; Protestant Dissenters; conflict over Catholic influence at Court

The establishment of constitutional monarchy, 1678–1702 (A-level only)

• Political developments and conflicts: Exclusion, its aims, methods and its failure; James II and the attempts at absolutism and the restoration of Catholicism
• The ‘Glorious Revolution’: causes and nature; its consolidation in England, Scotland and Ireland
• Divisions within the Political Nation and the emergence of Whigs and Tories and their impact
• Religious changes: religious toleration and changes to the position of Anglicans, Protestants and Catholics
• Government under William and Mary: the importance of political parties and ministers; the changing influence of Crown and Parliament and the reasons for the development of limited monarchy
• The condition of Britain and its monarchy by 1702: the significance of the Act of Settlement; the balance of power between Crown and Parliament; the condition of the Church of England and non-conformism and Catholicism